Flow Process and Rheology Centre (FPRC)

We solve problems that relate to the flow of industrial fluids. Typically our work ranges from mining slurries and paste & thickened tailings, to explosive emulsions, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, flowable concrete and cosmetics. Our expertise lies in making precise measurements of the viscous characteristics [called “rheology”] of the material, and then relating these viscous characteristics to the problem at hand.

We are situated in the Engineering Faculty of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa. The group consists of researchers, senior lecturers, staff members and students from various departments throughout the institution. The unit is a wide-ranging interdisciplinary and collaborative research endeavor with an international reputation.

Mission

The mission of the group is to contribute to advances in the science of rheology by applying the fundamental principles and techniques of rheology to industrial problems, such as flow under different process, shear and material structure conditions.
To increase the number of post-graduate students and publications.
To develop new knowledge and apply this in industrial settings to increase productivity and international competitiveness.

Objectives

To exploit the advances in micro- and nano-structural material science by applying the fundamental principles and techniques of rheology to industrial problems such as deformation and flow under different shear, material structure and process flow conditions.
Rheological characterisation and modeling of concentrated emulsions and suspensions, polymer melts and solutions; analysis of industrial problems related to material flow processes [rheological aspects]; experimental investigation and modeling of the phenomena of micro- and nano-structural evolution involved in the mixing, transportation and storage processes of multi-phase systems.

Flow Process and Rheology Centre (FPRC)